Ignition rotor



FITZSIMM IGNITION ROTOR Filed Feb. 5, 1954 INVENTOR as ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1935 IGNITION ROTOR John T. Fitzsimmons, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a. corporation of Delaware Application February 3,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition apparatus for automobiles equipped with radio or wireless instruments.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an ignition distributor, a part of which incorporates a built-in resistance adapted to suppress spark interference with the radio apparatus. This is accomplished by building the distributor rotor of composite form, which when completed,

0 substantially encloses a resistance element characteristic of the engine constants, each end of the resistance having a conductive element or connector accessible from outside of the rotor.

Another object of the invention is to improve scribed. This is accomplished by building the rotor structure from a pair of cooperating members, which when fitted together, provide a ventilated chamber within which may be deposited a resistance element of selected characteristics and connecting the ends of said resistance to conductive elements presenting connecting portions exterior of the rotor body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resistance rotor adaptable to ignition equipment for radio equipped vehicles. This is accomplished by providing a distributor rotor assembly of a form standard for varying distributor construction, and joining to the conductive elements of the rotor, a high resistance connecting element whose constants correspond to the characteristics of the ignition system within which the rotor is to be used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a distributor rotor that encloses'a resistance element in a protective shell. This is accomplished by building the rotor body from a pair of mating pieces which when assembled together form a chamber or recess within which the resistance may be deposited, so that the resistance may be substantially enclosed, but yet provided with adequate ventilation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ignition timer distributor unit embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 4 of a rotor element comprising my invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rotor as indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. 2.

rotors of ignition distributors of the class dc 1934, Serial No. 709,577

Fig. 4 is an elevational view taken in the direction of arrow 4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower element of the rotor, with the upper element removed, as indicated by line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

In the drawing as illustrated in Fig. 1, designates a timer housing supporting a driving shaft 2 l upon which is mounted a conventional centrifugal weight assembly 22 supported in the usual manner, and on the upper end of shaft 2| is located a cam shaft 23. A plate 24 supported by the housing 20, has mounted thereon the usual circuit interrupter 25. The upper portion of cam shaft 23 supports and drives a distributor rotor 26 embodying my invention and cooperating with a distributor head 21 in the usual manner.

As plainly seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotor 26 is made up of two dielectric molded pieces 3| and 32, fitted together in mating relation. The member 32 comprises a ring like molded piece and can be either snapped on to the main body member 3! by providing a slightly beveled edge 33, or it may be secured thereto in any other suitable manner.

.The main body portion 3| is provided with an arcuate groove 34 extending substantially around the body portion and is also provided with two terminal posts or inserts 36 and 31, which are secured in the body by-molding the material of the body around them, substantially as illustrated. This makes provision for housing a resistance element 35 by depositing it within the groove and connecting its ends to the inserts 36 and 31, as shown in Fig. 5.

To the insert 36, the contact spring 29 is also secured, and may be accomplished in any suitable manner, though it is preferred to accomplish this by peening or spinning over a stepped portion of the insert to lay against the bottom of spring 29.

The rotor 26 carries a conducting segment 28 which carries current from a center button 29 to the distributor posts 30.

Driving connection for the body portion 3! is also provided and is accomplished by the cored out portion 38 for mounting the rotor on the cam shaft 23, the cored out portion having a lug 39 that engages and mates with a shaft 40 in the cam shaft 23.

The ring like member 32 is provided with a central opening 4| and is also provided with a boss 42 which is grooved or recessed at 43 for receiving a felt plug 44 that resiliently holds the resistor assembly 35 in the arcuate groove 34. The ring terminates in a cylindrical like flange 45 adapted to fit tightly about the beveled edge 33 of the main body portion.

In assembling the rotor, the ring like piece is placed over the main piece so that the spring contact 29 projects through the opening at, and so that'the conductive insert 37 protrudes through an aperture 58 in the ring, whereupon the ring may be snapped into place upon the main body of the flange 45 seating in the rabbeted edge 33 of the body. The insert 31 will then be accessible from the top of the ring, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the segment 28 may be attached. This is done by reccssing the ring-like piece 32 as at 52, so as to provide the shoulders 54 for restraining the segment from turning. The segment is placed in this recess and over the end of the insert 31 which is then spun over or peened against the body of the segment, whereby it is held in place. This method of attaching the segment also operates to restrain the pieces 3| and 32 against separation.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been thus provided a structure for universal adaptation to various automotive engines, since the chamber between the mating members may be fitted with the appropriate resistance member according to the characteristics desired. The resistance is substantially enclosed within its own housing and connectors are provided exterior of the housing, by which the unit is adaptable to standard equipment without other modifications. The insert terminal is accessible through the spring connector 29, and the aperture 4| through which the connector projects provides suflicient ventilation or air movement for the proper cooling of the resistance element 35.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only and not as a restriction or limitation of the invention, of which,

obviously, an embodiment constructedso as to.

include modifications without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appended claims will be permitted.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an ignition system for an automotive vehicle and the like having a timer distributor for effecting a spark impulse and for delivering the same to selected ones of the engine cylinders, a distributor rotor for suppressing the spark interference of a radio apparatus comprising in combination, a pair of dielectric bodies mating in rim to rim engagement, conductive elements carried by one of the bodies, one of which is upstanding therefrom, one of the bodies being recessed which recess extends from one conductive element to the other, a resistance element electrically connected to each of the conductive elements and positioned within said recess, one of the bodies providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

2. In an ignition system for an automotive vehicle and the like having a timer distributor for elIecting a spark impulse and for delivering the same to selected ones of the engine cylinders, a distributor rotor for suppressing the spark interference of a radio apparatus comprising in combination, a pair of dielectric bodies mating in rim to rim engagement and cooperating to form a chamber, conductive elements carried by one of the bodies, and accessible for electrical connection through the other of said bodies, a resistance element disposed within the chamber and electrically connected to each of the conductive elements, and means for ventilating the resistance element comprising an aperture in one of the bodies.

3. In an ignition system for an automotive vehicle and the like having a timer distributor for elfecting a spark impulse and for delivering the same to selected ones of the engine cylinders, a distributor rotor for suppressing the spark interference of a radio apparatus comprising in combination, a disc like body of dielectric material carrying a pair of circumferentially spaced metallic inserts, and providing an are like recess extending between the inserts, a flanged ring of dielectric material fitting the disc like body in rim to rim engagement and cooperating therewith to form a protective shell, a resistance element disposed within the are like recess and connected at its ends to the inserts, and means provided by a part of the ring like member for maintaining an intermediate portion of the resistance within the said recess.

4. In an ignition timing unit a distributor rotor comprising in combination, a disc like member, a pair of metallic inserts insulatingly supported by the disc like member, a flanged ring having a snap fitting with the disc like body and cooperating therewith to provide a substantially enclosed chamber, a resistance element disposed within the chamber and having electrical connection with each of the metallic inserts, means projecting through the ring and having electrical connection with one of the inserts, another of said inserts projecting through the body of the ring, and a distributor segment electrically connected thereto.

5. In an ignition timing unit a distributor rotor comprising in combination, a disc like member, a pair of metallic inserts insulatingly supported by the disc like member, a flanged ring, said disc and ring having cooperating provisions to provide a snap lit and to form a chamber that is closed except for the bore through said ring, a pair of metallic inserts secured in the disc like member, one of which extends through an aperture in the body of said ring, a resistance element disposed within the chamber and having connection with each of said inserts, a distributor segment attached to the extended insert, and a spring connector attached to the other insert and accessible through the bore of said ring.

6. In an ignition timing unit a distributor rotor comprising in combination, a disc like member, a pair of metallic inserts insulatingly supported by the disc like member, an apertured cover member adapted to snap fit over the disc like member, a resistance element disposed in a recess between the disc like member and the cover and having connection with each of the inserts, and means provided by the cover yieldingly engaging the resistance at a point intermediate the inserts for holding it against displacement.

7. In a timer distributor, a rotor comprising in combination, a pair of dielectric molded pieces adapted to be snapped together in mating relation to house a resistance element, conductive elements secured to the body in one of the pieces and one of the elements projecting through the other piece, a resistance element secured within a recess provided by one of the pieces, said resistance being connected at its ends each to one of said elements, a segment secured to the conductive element extending through one of the pieces, and a spring connector secured to the other conductive element and having its free end engageable through a central aperture to the other piece.

8. In an ignition distributor for an automotive vehicle, a rotor comprising in combination, a pair of molded bodies joined in engaging relation to term a ventilated chamber, an arcuate channel in one of said bodies, conductive elements one near each end of said channel, a resistance element positioned in said channel and electrically connected with said conductive elements, the other of said' bodies' providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

9. In an ignition system ioran internal combustion engine, a distributor rotor comprising in combination, a pair of molded bodies in engaging relation to form a protective shell, an arcuate channel in one of said bodies, conductive elements one near each end of said channel, a resistance element positioned in said channel and electrically connected with said conductive elements, the other of said bodies providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

10, In an ignition timer for an automotive vehicle, a rotor comprising in combination, a pair of cooperating bodies, an arcuate channel in one of said bodies, conductive elements one near each end of said channel, a resistance element positioned in said channel and electrically connected with said conductive elements, the other of said bodies providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

11. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine, a distributor rotor comprising in combination, a pair oi molded bodies in engaging relation to form a protective shell, an arcuate channel in one 01 said bodies, conductive elements one near each end oi. said channel, a resistance element whose constants correspond to the characteristics of said system being positioned in said channel and electrically connected with said conductive elements, the other of said bodies providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

12. In an ignition timer for an automotive vehicle, a rotor of standard form for varying distributor constructions comprising in combination, a pair of molded bodies mating in rim to rim engagement, an arcuate channel in one of said bodies, conductive elements one near each end of said channel, a resistance element positioned in said channel and electrically connected with said conductive elements, the other of said bodies providing apertures through which electrical connection is made with the conductive elements.

J GEN '11. FITZSIMMONS. 

